If you’ve been injured in a car accident or in some other way, you may have short-term symptoms and long-term symptoms to consider. These lingering symptoms are more common in serious cases. For example, you may have suffered a spinal cord injury (SCI). Some recovery may be possible, but that doesn’t guarantee that you will ever regain full mobility. It depends on the severity of the injury and the location on the spinal cord.
The same can also be said for traumatic brain injuries (TBIs). Once again, depending on the severity and location, a TBI can result in symptoms that could last for the rest of your life. These could include long-term memory issues, cognitive problems, sensory issues, changes to sleep patterns and much more.
If you were injured due to someone else’s negligence – such as another driver who ran a stop sign – then you may seek compensation from them. After all, you’re dealing with a lot of medical bills, lost wages and other costs. You know that you deserve compensation from the party who is responsible. If you’re offered a settlement, you need to very carefully consider if it has been fairly valued before committing to an acceptance or rejection of that offer.
The trouble with accepting a settlement that hasn’t been scrutinized
It’s often tempting for people to take a quick settlement and put the legal side of their injury-related challenges behind them. But that could lead to long-term problems in the future.
For example, say that you have a spinal cord injury and you have all the documentation of what it has cost to get treatment thus far. The settlement offers you exactly how much money you’ve spent, meaning you can eliminate that debt. But if you’re going to have the SCI for the rest of your life, will you need long-term care? Do you need further physical rehabilitation? May you find that you can’t return to the workforce, so you don’t have any future income?
If you take a quick settlement, the case will be over and you will be saddled with extensive future costs still stemming from that same injury. That’s why you never want to settle for less than you deserve, and it’s important to have a skilled attorney evaluate any settlement offers that you are extended before your case is fully resolved.